The invention relates to a process for feeding cup-shaped containers (cups) to a filling or packaging machine, the cups being stacked into one another in rows (cup stacks) and being delivered--surrounded by an inner wrapping--in cartons. Furthermore, the invention relates to an apparatus for conducting the process.
The cup-shaped containers completely or partially consist of deep-drawn (plastic) sheets. However, individual container parts, for example a container wall, may instead be made of thin cardboard. Normally, these cups are associated with lids which are placed on the cup by means of a clamping edge. These cups are mainly used for holding foods such as margarine.
Said cups and their lids--if any--are designed such that they can be stacked into one another so that rows of nested cups are formed which hereinafter will be called cup stacks.
Hitherto, the cups have been delivered in cartons which hold the cup stacks and corresponding lid stacks packed in an inner wrapping. The inner wrapping consists of a foil bag surrounding the complete contents. This foil bag is opened in the region of a processing machine (filling or packaging machine) and the cup and lid stacks are manually extracted and further conveyed.